Display carton with internal support

ABSTRACT

A shadow box with an internal object-supporting cradle that is formed from a support panel. The cradle is formed by articulated members which in turn are derived from the support panel by suitable cuts and scores. The entire shadow box is made of one piece of foldable material such as paperboard or the like.

United States Patent 1 Schillinger et al.

[ 1 May 22,1973

DISPLAY CARTON WITH INTERNAL SUPPORT Inventors: Joseph F. Schillinger,Palos Hills, lll.; Robert Richard Bottomley, New

Lenox, both of ill.

Assignee: Champion International Corporation, Hamilton, Ohio Filed: Jan.7, 1972 Appl. No.: 216,138

US. Cl ..206/4S.14 Int. Cl. ..B65d 5/50 Field of Search ..206/45.l4,45.19,

206/4531, 45.34, 46 FR; 229/14 C, 16 D [56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 3,379,305 4/1968 Stone ....206/45.l4 X 3,584,740 6/1971Hanson ..206/45.l4

Primary Examiner-Samuel B. Rothberg Attorney-Daniel P. Worth [57]ABSTRACT A shadow box with an internal object-supporting cradle that isformed from a support panel. The cradle is formed by articulated memberswhich in turn are derived from the support panel by suitable cuts andscores. The entire shadow box is made of one piece of foldable materialsuch as paperboard or the like.

7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures DISPLAY CARTON WITH INTERNAL SUPPORT SUMMARYAND BACKGROUND OF INVENTION The present invention relates to animprovement in display cartons. One aspect of the invention deals with ashadow box made from one piece of foldable material, which box has acradle for supporting the object to be displayed in connection withwhich the invention without being limited thereto will be described.

A recurring problem in shadow box packaging is how to hold the object tobe packaged in its proper position within the display space but to havea carton into which the object can easily be loaded. Sometimes thisproblem is solved by making use of the shape of the object in such a waythat it cannot rotate, or cannot slide up or down, or cannot fall out orotherwise get out of proper position. Another technique for coping withthe problem is to provide an insert of some sort which is attached tothe shadow box, the object, or perhaps both and assist in holding thebox and object in proper relationship and in retaining the object withinthe box.

Particular problems arise when the object has a lot of weight henceinertia forces in handling may cause it to tear partitions, retainingmeans, etc. in the box and thereby to fall out of the front of theshadow box.

A shadow box made according to the present invention is particularlyefficacious in retaining a relatively heavy object while at the sametime providing convenience in inserting or loading the object into thebox preparatory to shipping from the factory to a retail outlet. Thepresent invention provides a resilient cradle formed by appropriate cutsand scores in an intermediate or internal panel within the shadow box.This cradle utilizes the folding qualities of the shadow box materialwhich is ordinarily paperboard or some similar paper product although itmay be made of plastic sheet to hold the relatively heavy object inposition.

By way of a specific example, a shadow box with the subject cradle, madeof only one ounce of paperboard, was successfully able to retain a 6%7ounce cylindrical metal container of pressurized hair spray ordeodorant. The resilience and foldability of the paperboard materialpermitted making this of one piece, the seams of which could be glued atthe factory whereby a flattened tube could be delivered to the customer(which is a conventional practice in the trade) and thereafter erectedand loaded. Moreover, the present invention could be easily loaded withan object from the front merely by flexing the cradle at one end and abottom retaining cradle at the other. In the above example of packaginghair spray or deodorant, the cylindrical container when loaded in thefront also folded a variety of the panels into their proper place andalso cooperated with certain parts of the container to hold them inplace as will be further described below.

It is an object of this invention to improve the one piece shadow boxtype of display carton. It is another advantage to provide a shadow boxwhich can be conveniently front loaded yet will retain the objecttherein. A further object is to provide an improved display container ofthe shadow box type which is made from one piece of foldable materialsuch as paperboard, boxboard, or even plastic and has internal supportmeans.

Other features, objects and advantages will become apparent from thefollowing specification and disclosure when read in conjunction with thedrawings wherein:

FIG. 1 represents a plan view of the inside of the blank cut and scoredaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a simplified schematic cross section across the middle of acontainer (laterally) showing how the panels are folded together from apartly erected position;

FIG. 3 is a partly cut-away isometric drawing of an erected containerwith a shadow panel folded out of position for clarity;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of part of an erected carton with an objectpackaged therein.

While a shadow box 1 according to the present invention can successfullyaccommodate objects of a large number of shapes, it will be assumed forthe sake of illustration that a substantially cylindrical object 2 asillustrated in FIG. 4 is to be packaged.

The blank of FIG. 1 contains reading from right to left a series ofhingedly interconnected panels which form the entire blank of whichcertain panels have side and end closure tabs and flaps. Morespecifically, blank 3 has an outer side panel 5, a front panel 6,another outer side panel 7, rear panel 8, a glue or inner side panel 10,a support panel 11, and a second inner side or glue panel 12. Thesepanels are respectively hingedly interconnected one to another in sideby side relationship by a plurality of longitudinal folding or scorelines, one each of which scores is between each two panels. The frontpanel 6 is hingedly connected to the outer side panels 5, 7 on each sidethereof by longitudinal score (folding) lines 14 and 15. The rear panel8 is hingedly connected by a longitudinal score line 16 to the outerside panel 7 and to the first inner glue panel 10 by score line 17.

The support panel 11, concerning which more details are described below,is flanked on each side by the glue panels 10, 12 and connected theretoby respective score lines 18 and 19.

A variety of flaps and tabs are also hingedly connected to the aforesaidpanels. For instance, the top closure side tabs 20 and 21 respectivelyconnected to outer side panels 5, 7 by lateral score lines 22 and 24.Lateral score 24 also extends across the rear panel in order to hingedlyconnect the top end closure panel 25 to the upper end of the rear panel8. A top insert flap 26 is hingedly connected by score line 27 to theouter end of the top closure panel.

If desired, a supplementary or optional end tab 28 is hinged by score 24to the upper end of glue panel 10.

It will be appreciated that the supplemental and top and bottom sideclosure tabs are separated from adjacent members hinged to adjacentpanels by cut lines 31 and 32.

The bottom of the carton when erected is closed by bottom side closuretabs 33 and 34 which are respectively at the bottom of the outer sidepanel 7 and the glue panel 10. Lateral score lines 35 and 36 connect thetabs to said panels. The bottom end closure panel 37 is separated fromtab 34 by a cut connected to the bottom of the support panel by anextension of folding lines 34. The closure flap 38 is hingedly connectedto the extreme bottom end closure panel 37 by lateral score line 39.

The support panel 11 is an important part of the present invention andits various parts are now described in detail. A generally lateral cutline 40 goes across the central portion of this support panel anddivides it into top and bottom support sections 42, 44, the top 42 beingthe one that contains the cradle mechanism. Left and right longitudinalcut lines 45, 46 extend of each side along the folding lines 18, 19,avoiding going completely to the end. In fact, it is very important toavoid cutting clean through to the end on either end but it is importantthat these longitudinal cut lines intersect lateral cut 40.

The top panel section'is divided longitudinally into several portions byleft and right cradle cut lines 48 and 49. The cradle (see FIG. 3) forthe object is formed out of the material between the cradle cut lines. Acradle head portion 50 is at the upper end while a cradle bottom 52 isat the lower end. The cradle head 50 is connected between an uppercradle support panel 54 and i the cradle bottom by the lateral foldingor score lines 55 and 56.

Cradle leg panels 60 and 61 are located to the left and right of thecradle cut lines 48, 49 respectively. Each of the cradle legs 60, 61must be separated from the lateral cut 40by a leg end panel 62, 63respectively, Each cradle cut line terminates at the bottom of itsrespective cradle leg while each support panel longitudinal cut line 45,46 terminates at the upper end of its respective cradle leg 60, 61. Itwill be observed that each cradle leg lies between its respectivelongitudinal and cradle cut lines. The cradle cut lines are, of course,shaped in such a way as to retain the object to be packaged in thedisplay carton.

The upper and lower sides of the cradle leg are connected by score lines64, 66, 67, 69 respectively extending between the cradle cut lines 48,49 and longitudinal cut lines 45, 46 for purposes that will be presentlyexplained.

A pair of oblique folding lines 70, 71 run from the lower corners of thesupport panel until they intersect the cradle cut lines. The slop orangle of oblique lines 70, 71 are determined by how the panels on eachside of same to match with the shadow panel 75, 76 free edges 75A, 76Ain the front panel 6. The cradle head folding line 55 preferably extendsover to the edge of the support panel where it intersects with scores70, 71 on each side. Preferably the cradle head folding line is notstraight but is slightly curved as illustrated in FIG. 1.

The upper cradle support panel has a top edge 54A which preferably iscurved to facilitate insertion of the end closure flap 26. Also, toassist in the support panel folding, score lines 77 and 78 extend fromthe upper cradle support panel free edge to a common intersection withlines 70, 71 and longitudinal scores 18, 19.

The front panel 6 is divided into an upper front panel section 80 andlower front panel section 81 by a lateral cut 82. The lower front panelsection is divided into left and right shadow panels 75, 76 by alongitudinal weakness line, preferably perforated line 83. Preferablythe longitudinal and lateral cut lines 83, 82 in the front panel do notper se intersect because the upper end 75A, 76A of each shadow panel iscut obliquely to provide a mitered appearance in the finished erectedshadow box. These mitered upper ends fit into the oblique corners formedby scores 70, 71 when the box is erected.

At the very bottom end of each shadow panel 75, 76

there is also an oblique cut edge 75B, 768 to provide a miteredappearance. The tabs 88, 89 on the edge adjacent the front panellongitudinal cut line 83 assist the shadowpanels to be held in placewhen the object (here a cylinder 2) is inserted into the subject shadowbox.

The respective cradle spring panels 90, 91 are formed in generallytriangular shape by a short lateral cut line 92, 93 extending from thetop of each support panel longitudinal cut 45, 46 inwardly of itsrespective gluepanel to where it intersects with a very heavily scoredor preferably cut-scored fold lines 94, 95. These cradle spring panelsare a major contributing factor to the resilient support of the objectand also facilitate the articulated movement of the various parts foldedout of the plane of the support panel.

The bottom support panel section 44 folds along score line 100 toprovide an inner rear panel 101 and a bottom shadow panel 102. There isa cut-out 103 in the bottom shadow panel so contoured as to receive theobject to be packaged. In the present instance the cutout isapproximately semi-circular with cut lines 104 extending therefrom toscore 100.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 each outer side glue panel is glued toone of the inner glue panels. The line of glue 105, 107 in each instancemust lie along the inner glue panel between the cradle spring panels andthe longitudinal cut score lines 18, 45; 19, 46.

When the panels are thus glued (FIG. 3), the container is folded flatwith panels 6 and 7 on one side and 5 and 8 on the other and may bereadily erected by pushing on the extreme outside edges 14, 16 until therectangular cross section of an erected carton is assumed (FIGS. 2 and4). If additional rigidity is desired, the supplemental or optional endtab 28 may be glued to the outer side panel tab 5.

When the container is erected as in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 the cradle legs 60, 61depend vertically. The cradle spring panels and the adjacent part (frontcradle panel 106, 107) of the top support section 54 helps to suspendthe cradle leg in each case. The score lines 70, 71 assist in giving themitered look because they mate with the top edges 84, 85 of the shadowpanels. The cradle head and bottom in the preferred embodiment folddeeply into the box so that the cradle bottom rest onor almost rests onthe rear panel. The degree of resting in the inward folding determinesthe location of the cradle leg score lines as well as the fold linebetween the cradle head and bottom.

The present carton is most convenient for front loading by shoving thetop end of the object 2 (FIG. 4) up against the cradle head 50, movingit up under the upper front panel section (this causes the requiredarticulation to FIG. 3 positions), then pushing the bottom of the objectdown to engage the cut-out 103 in the bottom shadow panel. Theresilience of the various parts will cause them to assume the correctfinal positions once the object is in place. The tabs 88, 89 are trappedbetween the object 2 and the edges of cut-out 103 thus positivelyholding the shadow panels 75, 76 in place. The front end loading can bedone before or after the weakness line 83 is broken. A stronger, moreeasily handled and erected blank results if the weakness line 83 is leftunbroken until this time.

I claim as my invention:

1. A blank of foldable material for a one piece display carton of theshadow box type which has a cradle for supporting the object to bedisplayed in the erected shadow box comprising a front panel, rearpanel, and support panel;

a pair of outer side panels and a pair of inner glue panels, the insideof said side panels and the outside of said glue panels being adapted tobe secured to each other, at least one of said side panels being betweensaid front and said rear panel; and at least one of said glue panelsbeing between said rear panel and said support panel;

all of the aforesaid panels being in side by side relationship andhingedly interconnected by a plurality of score lines, each score beingbetween each two panels that extends longitudinally of the blank and isparallel with the other such score lines;

a first generally laterally extending cut in said front panel dividingit into upper and lower front sections;

a first longitudinal line of weakness in said lower front sectiondividing it into left and right shadow panels;

a second generally laterally extending cut in said support paneldividing same into top and bottom support sections;

second and third longitudinal cut lines part of the way along the edgesof said support panel intersecting said second lateral cut;

left and right hand cradle cut lines extending generally longitudinallywithin said top support section, shaped to receive the object to bedisplayed and defining an articulated object cradle portion in said topsection between said left and right cradle cut lines flanked on eachside by an articulated cradle suspension portion;

each said articulated cradle suspension portion having a cradle legpanel located between one of said cradle cut lines and one of saidsecond and third longitudinal cuts, the top termini of the latter cutsbeing substantially at the top terminus of said cradle leg panels andthe lower termini of said cradle cut lines being at the lower termini ofsaid cradle leg panel, and a score line at each of the top and bottomtermini of each said cradle leg panels intersecting respectively one ofthe cut lines bounding said cradle leg panels;

a cradle support panel at the top end of said top support section abovethe top termini of said cradle cut lines;

a lateral fold line between said cradle cut lines hingedly connectingsaid cradle support panel and said object cradle portion; and

another lateral fold line within said object cradle portion between thetop termini of said cradle panels and said lateral fold line.

2. A blank according to claim 1 wherein each side glue panel has acradle spring panel lying along the respective score line between saidsupport panel and one of said glue panels and above the top termini ofsaid second and third cuts, formed in said glue panel by lines ofweakness to enable the spring panels to fold inwardly of the carton whenerected and between them to resiliently support said articulated cradlesuspension portion.

3. A blank according to claim 1 wherein the outside of each glue panelis secured to the inside of one of said side panels.

4. A blank according to claim 1 further including a bottom end closurepanel hingedly connected by a lateral score to the bottom of saidsupport panel and the bottom termini of said second and thirdlongitudinal cuts are spaced only a short distance from the last saidlateral cut.

5. A display carton of the shadow box type which has a cradle forsupporting the object to be displayed and which is made from one pieceof foldable material comprising a front panel, rear panel, and supportpanel;

a pair of outer side panels and a pair of inner glue panels, the insideof said side panels and the outside of said glue panels being secured toeach other, at least one of said side panels being connected betweensaid front panel and said rear panel; and at least one of said gluepanels being connected between said rear panel and said support panel;

all of the aforesaid panels being in side by side relationship andhingedly interconnected by a plurality of score lines, each score beingbetween each two panels that extends longitudinally of the piece ofmaterial and is parallel with the other such score lines;

a first generally laterally extending cut in said front panel dividingit into upper and lower front sections;

a first longitudinal line of weakness in said lower front sectiondividing it into left and right shadow panels;

a second generally laterally extending cut in said support paneldividing same into top and bottom support sections;

second and third longitudinal cut lines part of the way along the edgesof said support panel intersecting said second lateral cut;

left and right hand cradle cut lines extending generally longitudinallywithin said top support section, for receiving the object to bedisplayed and defining an articulated object cradle portion in said topsection between said left and right cradle cut lines flanked on eachside by an articulated cradle suspension portion;

each said articulated cradle suspension portion having a cradle legpanel located between one of said cradle cut lines and one of saidsecond and third longitudinal cuts, the top termini of the latter cutsbeing substantially at the top terminus of said cradle leg panels andthe lower termini of said cradle cut lines being at the lower termini ofsaid cradle leg panel, and a score line at each of the top and bottomtermini of each said cradle leg panels intersecting respectively one ofthe cut lines bounding said cradle leg panels;

each side glue panel having formed therein by lines of weakness a cradlespring panel lying along the respective score line between said supportpanel and one of said glue panels and above the top termini of saidsecond and third cuts, each such spring panel being folded inwardly ofthe carton and between them resiliently supporting said articulatedcradle suspension portion;

a cradle support panel at the top end'of said top support section abovethe top termini of said cradle cut lines; and

a lateral fold line between said cradle cut lines hingedly connectingsaid cradle support panel and said object cradle portion.

6. A display carton according to claim wherein that 7. A display cartonaccording to claim 5 wherein the part of the object cradle portionbetween said another outside of each glue panel is secured to the insideof lateral fold line and said second laterally extending cut one of saidside panels by adhesive located between is supported substantiallyagainst the inside of the rear said rear panel and each of said cradlespring panels. pal-CL 5 a: e 4'

1. A blank of foldable material for a one piece display carton of theshadow box type which has a cradle for supporting the object to bedisplayed in the erected shadow box comprising a front panel, rearpanel, and support panel; a pair of outer side panels and a pair ofinner glue panels, the inside of said side panels and the outside ofsaid glue panels being adapted to be secured to each other, at least oneof said side panels being between said front and said rear panel; and atleast one of said glue panels being between said rear panel and saidsupport panel; all of the aforesaid panels being in side by siderelationship and hingedly interconnected by a plurality of score lines,each score being between each two panels that extends longitudinally ofthe blank and is parallel with the other such score lines; a firstgenerally laterally extending cut in said front panel dividing it intoupper and lower front sections; a first longitudinal line of weakness insaid lower front section dividing it into left and right shadow panels;a second generally laterally extending cut in said support paneldividing same into top and bottom support sections; second and thirdlongitudinal cut lines part of the way along the edges of said supportpanel intersecting said second lateral cut; left and right hand cradlecut lines extending generally longitudinally within said top supportsection, shaped to receive the object to be displayed and defining anarticulated object cradle portion in said top section between said leftand right cradle cut lines flanked on each side by an articulated cradlesuspension portion; each said articulated cradle suspension portioNhaving a cradle leg panel located between one of said cradle cut linesand one of said second and third longitudinal cuts, the top termini ofthe latter cuts being substantially at the top terminus of said cradleleg panels and the lower termini of said cradle cut lines being at thelower termini of said cradle leg panel, and a score line at each of thetop and bottom termini of each said cradle leg panels intersectingrespectively one of the cut lines bounding said cradle leg panels; acradle support panel at the top end of said top support section abovethe top termini of said cradle cut lines; a lateral fold line betweensaid cradle cut lines hingedly connecting said cradle support panel andsaid object cradle portion; and another lateral fold line within saidobject cradle portion between the top termini of said cradle panels andsaid lateral fold line.
 2. A blank according to claim 1 wherein eachside glue panel has a cradle spring panel lying along the respectivescore line between said support panel and one of said glue panels andabove the top termini of said second and third cuts, formed in said gluepanel by lines of weakness to enable the spring panels to fold inwardlyof the carton when erected and between them to resiliently support saidarticulated cradle suspension portion.
 3. A blank according to claim 1wherein the outside of each glue panel is secured to the inside of oneof said side panels.
 4. A blank according to claim 1 further including abottom end closure panel hingedly connected by a lateral score to thebottom of said support panel and the bottom termini of said second andthird longitudinal cuts are spaced only a short distance from the lastsaid lateral cut.
 5. A display carton of the shadow box type which has acradle for supporting the object to be displayed and which is made fromone piece of foldable material comprising a front panel, rear panel, andsupport panel; a pair of outer side panels and a pair of inner gluepanels, the inside of said side panels and the outside of said gluepanels being secured to each other, at least one of said side panelsbeing connected between said front panel and said rear panel; and atleast one of said glue panels being connected between said rear paneland said support panel; all of the aforesaid panels being in side byside relationship and hingedly interconnected by a plurality of scorelines, each score being between each two panels that extendslongitudinally of the piece of material and is parallel with the othersuch score lines; a first generally laterally extending cut in saidfront panel dividing it into upper and lower front sections; a firstlongitudinal line of weakness in said lower front section dividing itinto left and right shadow panels; a second generally laterallyextending cut in said support panel dividing same into top and bottomsupport sections; second and third longitudinal cut lines part of theway along the edges of said support panel intersecting said secondlateral cut; left and right hand cradle cut lines extending generallylongitudinally within said top support section, for receiving the objectto be displayed and defining an articulated object cradle portion insaid top section between said left and right cradle cut lines flanked oneach side by an articulated cradle suspension portion; each saidarticulated cradle suspension portion having a cradle leg panel locatedbetween one of said cradle cut lines and one of said second and thirdlongitudinal cuts, the top termini of the latter cuts beingsubstantially at the top terminus of said cradle leg panels and thelower termini of said cradle cut lines being at the lower termini ofsaid cradle leg panel, and a score line at each of the top and bottomtermini of each said cradle leg panels intersecting respectively one ofthe cut lines bounding said cradle leg panels; each side glue panelhaving formed therein by lines of weakness a cradle Spring panel lyingalong the respective score line between said support panel and one ofsaid glue panels and above the top termini of said second and thirdcuts, each such spring panel being folded inwardly of the carton andbetween them resiliently supporting said articulated cradle suspensionportion; a cradle support panel at the top end of said top supportsection above the top termini of said cradle cut lines; and a lateralfold line between said cradle cut lines hingedly connecting said cradlesupport panel and said object cradle portion.
 6. A display cartonaccording to claim 5 wherein that part of the object cradle portionbetween said another lateral fold line and said second laterallyextending cut is supported substantially against the inside of the rearpanel.
 7. A display carton according to claim 5 wherein the outside ofeach glue panel is secured to the inside of one of said side panels byadhesive located between said rear panel and each of said cradle springpanels.